BUS5002 – Assessment Task 1: Brief Paper

Weighting: 20%

Due Date: Week 5 Sunday 11:59PM

Word Limit: 500 words (±10%; excludes references and appendices)

Section 1: Objective

This assessment task requires you to conduct independent research on a current business

finance issue affecting a publicly listed Australian company. You will present your findings

in the form of a concise, professionally written briefing paper for the company’s CEO or

Chair of the Board. The briefing should highlight the financial issue, its business and economic

context, affected stakeholders, and the implications for future planning or investment decisions.

Section 2: Task Requirements and Structure

Task Requirements

Your briefing paper must include:

• A concise summary of a significant business finance issue currently affecting your

selected company

• Analysis of the company’s context, including relevant internal (financial) and external

(economic or industry) factors

• Identification of key stakeholders affected by the issue (internal and external)

• Use of a diverse range of information sources to support your observations

• Clear references to supporting materials, such as financial tables or charts, provided

in the appendices

The issue should be:

• Current, relevant, and significant for corporate decision-makers

Structure of The Report:

1. Student and Assignment Details (include subject name, student name, student ID, title

of the briefing paper, and word count)

2. Briefing Paper

3. Reference List (APA 7th style)

4. Appendices (e.g. financial tables or supporting data)

2

Section 3: Report Content Guidelines

The briefing paper should be written in clear, objective business language as if addressing

the CEO or Chair of the Board. It should include the following four parts, written as

connected paragraphs (without headings or bullet points):

1. Introduction

Briefly introduce the purpose of the report and outline what it will cover. Include relevant

background on the finance issue and why it is important. Mention your approach — what you

have investigated and how (e.g. analysis of financial statements, stakeholder perspectives,

industry context).

2. Background

Provide a concise overview of the publicly listed Australian company you have selected.

State your reason for choosing this company and summarise its current financial position,

drawing on information from the most recent annual report and external sources. Where

relevant, refer to internal performance metrics (e.g. liquidity, profitability, cash flow) and

external conditions (e.g. industry trends, macroeconomic factors).

3. Issue Analysis and Observations

Identify and explain the specific business finance issue facing the company. This should be a

current and significant concern that has implications for management, investors, or future

planning (e.g. high debt levels, declining profit margins, governance issues, weak cash flow,

dividend cuts).

Support your analysis with evidence from formal sources (e.g. financial statements, academic

or industry reports) and informal sources (e.g. news articles, expert commentary). Where

relevant, refer to data or charts presented in the appendices.

4. Conclusion

Summarise the key findings from your analysis and explain the significance of the issue.

Conclude with insights on what the company and its stakeholders can learn from this case and

how it may affect future decisions (e.g. investment, capital allocation, stakeholder

engagement).

Section 4: Research And Referencing Requirements

Research Sources

You are expected to use a mix of formal and informal sources to support your briefing paper.

Your reference list should include 7 to 10 sources, such as:

• Formal sources:

Academic journal articles, industry reports, company annual reports, government

publications